Territory



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D; MQOOLGRN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 324,863. Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

WITNESSES: IN'VENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Pholo-Llflmgupher. Wnshingkm. n. c,

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. MGGOLG'AN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 324,863; Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

WITNESSES: 6Z4

ATTORNEYS.

N. PEYERS. Pnm-Limn n mr. Walhingtam D. c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. MQGOLGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE. No. 324,868. Panented Aug. 25, 1885.

N Q a g H m x s: H

R, S w R? i '2}: M :r m h WITNESSES INVENTOR BY I ' ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

D. MOOOLGAN ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 324,863. Patented Aug. 25, 18 85. 7 JZy-J.

I l L I ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. D. MQGOLGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE. -N0.324,863. Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

WITNESSES llNiTno STATES PATFT FFTQEO ROTARY ENGINE.

LJPECIFICATION forming pal-tor Letters Patent No. 324,863, dated August 25, 1885.

Application filed 0.:lber29, 1:584. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS lVICCOLGAN, of Butte City, in the county of (luster and Territory of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists in certain new and useful improvements in the rotary engine for which United States Letters Patent N 0. 301,618, were issued tome July 8, 1884., which consists of a wheel having a U-shaped groove in its face forming the cylinder or steamway. The grooved wheel is surrounded by a circular casing or wheel, which fits closely against the grooved wheel and forms the outside of the steamway. The Wheel carries the pistons, which are fixed on it, and abutments are arranged in the stationary ring to slide forward and backward to allow the pistons to pass. Slide-valves are also arranged in the stationary ring to shut off the steam while the abutments are being shifted, and the said valves and the abutinents are operated by cams on the shaft of the wheel, whereby a simple and efficient rotary engine of large radius is obtained for developing great power with slow motion.

The present im 'irovements consistin con trivanccs of the valve-gear, ports, and reversingvalves for reversing the engine, and also in various parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of my iu1- proved engine, parts being broken away. Fig. 21's a side elevation of the same, parts being brolaen away and others shown in section on line a? .r, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional elevation of the engine. Fig. 4 is a crosssectional elevation of the same, a part being broken out. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view of the rim part of the wheel, showing one of the pistons in section. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Fig. 5 on the line y 3 Fig. 7 is a face view of the cams for forcing back the abutments. 'Fig. 8 is a face view of the Fig. 10 is a detail cross-sectional view on the line 20, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2) c, Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is aseetional view on the line 2 z, Fi 9.

The wheel A, having a U-shaped groove, B, in its rim A, is mounted on ashaft, O, supported in bearings O, and the said wheel runs within a stationary circular ease or fixed wheel, D, fitting closely against the wheel A, and provided with two annular grooves, I), one on each side, in which grooves packing-strips D are held, which are pressed against the rim of the wheel by adjusting-screws D, whereby a steam-tight joint is formed between the Wheel A and its easing D. The groove l3 forms the steamway or steam cylinder in which the steam acts, and in the said groove a series of pistons or transverse partitions, E, are arranged, of which three are shown in the annexed drawings, but more may be provided, if desired. Each piston is formed of two transverse Walls, E, united by a cross-plate, E uniting the sides of the groove B a shortdistance from the outer edges of the sides of the groove. A packing-plate, F, rests on the outer surface of the plate E", and is provided with two inwardly-projecting stems, F, having heads F on theinner ends, between which heads and the inner surface of the crosspieee E spiral springs F" surround the stems F and press the packing plate F against the outer surface of the cross-piece In the outer surface of the cross -piece E" a transverse groove, 6, is formed, extending from one partition E to the other, and at each end of the groove 6 an aperture 0' is formed in each;

partition. A valve, f, is held loosely in the groove c, and from the groove 0 an aperture 6" conducts the steam to the outer side of the crosspiece E", so that the steam can act on the packing-plate F. When the steam acts The steam then has no other outlet than the aperture c, and must act upon the packingplate F, which it forces firmly against the inner circular surface of the casing D, thereby forming an absolutelytight joint. As soon as the piston has passed the exhaust, and the steam that has been acting on the piston is exhausted, the springs F pull the paekingplate F inward toward the base of the groove B and from the inner face of the casing D, thereby preventing friction. As soon as steam again acts on the said piston part of the steam enters the piston in the manner above described, and pressesthe packing plate F against the inner face of the easing D. The steam can enter at either side of the piston, the opening in that side of the piston opposite the one at which steam enters being automatically closed by the valve f. Two exhaust-pipes, G, project from the casing D diametrically opposite each other, one projecting upward and the other downward.

In horizontally placed boxes or chests H, on the supporting-frame G T-shaped abutments J are held to slide toward and from the rim of the wheel, the said boxes H, containing the abutments, being connected with and forming parts of the casing D. The boxes H are arranged diametrically opposite each other on the horizontal central axis of the machine.

On each side of the central shank of each abutment a packingplate, J, is held,which is pressed against the sides of the box H and the sides of the groove B of the wheel A by suitable springs contained in recesses of the said shank,-thus forming tight and close joints.

On each end of the rear or outer cross-piece, J of the abutment a rod, K, is secured, which projects through the box H, the said rods be ing at the sides of the wheel A and easing D, as shown in Fig. 9, the free ends of the rods being connected by suitable connectingrods with levers operated by cams, as will be described hereinafter.

In the outer face of each abutment a cylindrical aperture, L, is formed, containing a piston, L, formed on the free end ofa steamconducting tube, L projecting from the inner surface of the outer side of the box H toward the shaft 0. The said tube L is connected by a pipe, L with a steam-chest, M. In the steam-chest the slidevalve N is arranged, which may be replaced by a rocking or other valve, if desired. The said valve is attached to the valve-rod N, projecting from the inner face of the box 11, adjacent to the corresponding rod K. From the steam-chest M a channel, O, leads into a chamber, P, which is in communication with top and bottom steamoutlets Q, formed in the top and bottom of the box H above and below the abutment, and from which steanroutlets the steam passes into the steamway or groove 13. In the said chamber P an elongated valve, P, works up and down, and is secured to a rod, P pivoted to an arm, I, mounted on one end of a shaft, R, parallel with the side of the machine and suitably journaled in standards in the boxes H. The valve I has its bottom and top beveled or'ot-herwise shaped in such a manner as to adapt it to close the top and bottom of the chamber P.

Adjacent to the channel O, and between the steam-chest M and the chamber P, a chamber, S, is formed, in which a valve, S, works up and down, the said valve being connected by a rod, .9, with a lever, S, pivoted on a standard, S, on the top of the box H.

A channel, S", establishes communication between the steam-chest and the chamber S, and a channel, S establishes communication between the channel 0 and the chamber S.

The rods 8 and P work through suitable stuffing-boxes in the top of the box II.

On one side of the hub of the wheel A two cam-disks, T and T, are mounted on the shaft 0, which act on cam-levers U, connected by rods U with the valve-rods N. The cam T acts on the outer ends of the levers U, and thus draws the valves toward each otherthat is, toward the shaft-and the cam T, acting on those ends of the levers U to which the rods U are pivoted, pushes the valves in the reverse direction. Each rod K, secured to one end of the cross-piece J of an abutment, is connected by a connecting-rod, V, with the inner end ofa lever, XV, pivoted to swing in the horizontal plane upon a bracket, 0, on the frame 0 so that two levers, W, will be arranged at each side of the machine, and at the opposite sides of the shaft.

On the outer end of each lever, W, a roller, Y, is pivoted at the outer edge, and a like distance from the pivot on the inner end of the lever WV a roller, WV, is pivoted at the inner edge of the lever.

On each end of the shaft Ca sleeve, a, is mounted, which is provided at its outer end with a flanged disk, I), on the inner edge of which inwardly-projecting flange the camtceth c are formed, and on the inner end of each sleeve a the cam-ring d is formed.

Adjacent to the inner cam-ring, d, an annu lar groove, 9, is provided in the sleeve, into which groove the prongs of a fork, 12, pass, which fork is formed on the lower end of a lever, j, pivoted on an arm, 2', of the frame.

The cam rings or disks T must be mounted on the shaft in such a manner that they can turn one-sixth of a revolution independently of the shaft, and to permit of this I have provided each camring, T, on its inner surface, with a circulargroove, Z, into which astud or pin, 70, projects from the shaft. On a standard, m, on the top of the casing D, a handlever, 01., is pivoted, to which connecting-rods 0 and 0 are pivoted above and below the pivot of the rod a, respectively, the said rods being connected with the two forked levers j. Alinlgp, connects one lever, j, with an arm, q, of the shaft B. At one end of the shaft R the arm P is connected directly with the valve-stem P, but at the opposite end the arm P is connected with an intermediate lever, I, connected with the valve-stem I, as the movements of the valves P must be in reverse directions. The steam is conducted through the pipes t to the boxes II. Packingstrips D are held in slotsin the top and bot pansion and cut-off after one-third of the distance between the abutments and the exhausttube has been traveled. By the time that the above-mentioned piston E arrives at the exhaust'tube the other piston E has passed the left-hand abutment, which is withdrawn until the piston has passed, and it is then forced forward, the steam acting between the left-hand abutment and the adjacent piston E, which is now above the abutment, and so on, steam being admitted at both ends, and at the righthand end it is admitted through the bottom port Q, and at the left-hand end through the top port Q. To reverse the engine, the lever n is throwmwhereby the shaft R will be rocked in such a manner as to force the valve 1? in the righthand box H downward and to raise the valve P in theleft-hand box, whereby the steam in the right-hand box will be admitted into the steam-chamber at the top and the steam in the left-hand box at the bottom, and the movement will be reversed. At the same time the sleeves to are moved toward the cen' ter of the machine, whereby the inner cams, d, on the sleeves (a will be movedinward to such an extent that they cannot act on the inner rollers W of the levers W',and the outer cams, I), will be moved toward the center of the machine such a distance that they act on the outer rollers \V. \Vhen the machine is again, reversed, the sleeves a are shifted outward, the cam b is moved from the center rollers \Vfland the cam d is moved outward sufficiently to engage with the inner rollers NW. The slidevalves are shifted by the eamsT T. The cam T has a play of one-sixth of a revolution on the shaft, so as topermit theshat't to make one sixth of a revolution in the reverse direction before acting on the said cam and before changing the valves. In case a machine has been stopped when acting under expansion in such a manner that the slide-valve N closes the port 0, it would be impossible to start the engine. In such a case the free end of the lever S is pressed downward, whereby the valve S is raised, as shown in Fig. 12, so as to permit the steam to pass from the steam-chest through the aperture S into the channel S into the port 0, the chamber P, and from there to one of the channels Q, according to the position of the valve I. As soon as steam is admitted into tone of the steam-chambers it starts the machine, and then the machine operates in the usual manner. Steam passes through the steam-chest through the pipes 3 and the holl'ow pistons If L into the cavities L, thereby forcing the abutments .I against the bottom of the groove B. Immediately before the piston arrives at the abutment the cam 8) or d, acting on the lever W, pushes the abutment back sufficient] y to let the piston pass, and immediately after the piston has passed the abutment is forced against the bottom of the groove B again, and so on. The motion is transmitted from the shaft to the other parts of the machinery by means of belts passed over pulleys r r, or by other devices.

The engine can be reversed very easily. There is no leakage of steam, and all joints are packed securely. The abutments J are withdrawn and forced forward very rapidly, and the pistons fit steanrtight in the groove of the wheel.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The con'ibination, with the stcam-valves N, of the levers U and the cams T T, mounted on the shaft 0, the cam T being mounted in such a manner as to have play of one-sixth of a revolution on the shaft, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination,with a grooved wheel, of a casing surrounding it, which casing is provided with abutment-boxes at diametrically-opposite points, sliding abutments in the boxes, sleeves on the main shaft, cams formed at each end of each sleeve, camlevers adapted to be acted upon by either cam of each sleeve, and of rods connected with the cam-levers and with the abutments, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a grooved wheel, of a casing surrounding it and provided with abutmentboxes at diametrically-opposite points, sliding abutments in the boxes, the sleeves a on the shaft 0 of the wheel, the cams b (Z on the sleeves, the camlevers I, provided with the rollers W" W and rods connected with the-said levers, and with abutments, and of lovers for shifting both sleeves at the same time, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In a rotary engine, the combinatiomwith a wheel, of a casing surrounding it, abutments in the casing, hollow pistons projecting into cylinder-apertu res in the abutments, and pipes for conducting steam through the hollow pistons into the cylinder-apertures, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a wheel, of a casing surroumling it, abutments in the casing, hollow pistons projecting into cylinderapertures in the abutments, pipes for conducting steam through the hollow pistons into the eylirider-apertures, thus pressing the abutments against the rim of the wheel, and

of cams on the shaft of the wheel and rods con- ICO nccted with the abutment-s and acted upon by the said cams for the purpose of pressing the abutments from the shaft of the Wheel, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a wheel, of a casing surrounding it, abut-mentboxes provided in the casing, sliding abutments in the boxes, steam-channels formed on the bottom and top of the abutment-boxes, and valves for admitting the steam from the steam-chest into the upper or lower channel, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a wheel and a casing surrounding it, of abutment-boxes formed on the casing, sliding abutments in the boxes, the said boxes being provided with steam-channels at the top and bottom of the abutinents, a valve for admitting the steamfrom the chest into either channel, a rock-shaft connected with the said valve, a lever for throwing the I'Ockshaft, shiftingcams on the shaft of the wheel, rods acted upon by the cams and connected with the abutments,

and levers for acting on the shifting-cams and connected with the lever for throwing the rock-shaft, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination, with a Wheel and a casing surrounding it, of abutment-boxes formed inthe'casing, sliding abutments in the boxes, the sliding valve N, working in the steam'chest M, the valve 1?, working in the chamber P, connected with the steamchannels Q Q, and the valve S, working in a channel, S, establishing communication between the steam-chest M and the chamber P, for the purpose of starting the machine, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the grooved wheel, of a cylindrical casing surrounding it, and the'pistons E, formed in the groove by two transverse partitions, covered by a top plate on which a packing-plate is held, substantially as herein shown and described.

10. In arotary engine, the combination, with the wheel A, having a groove in its rim, of the two piston -Wa1ls E, the cross-piece E the packing-plate F, the pins F, projecting from the packing-plate F through the cross-piece E and thesprings F for pressing the packingplate against the bottom of the groove, substantially as herein shown and described.

11. In a rotary engine, the combination, with the Wheel A, having a groove in its rim, of the piston-walls E E, having apertures e, the cross-piece E having a groove, 0, and an opening, 6", the valve f, held in the groove 6, the packing-plate F on the cross-piece E and the springs for pressing the packing-plate against the cross-piece E, substantially as herein shown and described.

DENNIS MOCOLG AN.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, 0. SEDGWICIL. 

